I am interested in learning more about battery hens if anyone can help. I am planning on building a new coop this spring and I dont keep birds for show, or really for eggs, so I thought if I could help some abused birds I would. My wife and I kept our first flock this past year and they are doing great thanks to alot of help from the great people here at the coop! But now with a little experience I was hoping to expand, does anyone have any experience in keeping these birds? Would it be a problem with my exsisting birds? 6 RIR, and how does someone get in contact with people to "adopt" battery hens? Thanks, sorry for the lack of knowledge, I dont know where to start.

David Battery hens in good shape are sold for soup chickens. If the soup buyers don`t want them I sure wouldn`t either. For sure not the free ones. If it was me , I`d get a rooster and hatch some chicks from your hens, Wonderful experiance. If you have a Farm that raises lots of hens for eggs , go to them and buy what ever amount you want. I`m sure they would sell you a few. Good luck. Rog

I have a neighbor who periodically takes hens from the large egg producers here - either Tyson or Campbell. The neighbor knows the hens will produce eggs for a lot longer than 18 months! I don't know what's involved. Perhaps you could call one of the producers in your area.

The neighbor gave me a few several years ago, but I gave them to someone else. The dang Leghorns wouldn't let my hens use the nest boxes!

I'm not one to believe propaganda, so until I see for myself, I don't call them battery hens.

I have also been looking into getting some "spent battery hens" but have not had any luck. I have a USDA vet looking into it for me but so far he says that he can't find anyone that wants to release their birds. Does anyone have any suggestions?

My only suggestion is: If you already have chickens, I would not bring in birds that are not resistant to any poultry diseases. They have lived segregated and have never had any chance to develop immunity to anything. If you have no other birds and are bringing them into a pretty controlled environment--it is a satisfying thing to do. But the ones that are available have been pretty well used up (what they were bred for). Those birds that are sold (for soup, etc.) are being replaced with young birds that will keep up production until the next cycle. "They" do it all at one time--all the birds go! With care, R & R, they can be lovely ladies to still lay eggs and when they are accustomed to space and "the world outside their experience", they can be a nice rescue! Some people have collected them from roadside, where they have tumbled out of trucks taking them on their last journey! Good luck.CJR

Thanks Bill and CJR, I will continiue to look into it, and If i come across anyhting I will let you know Amiz. I'm not completely educated on these birds, and all I think about them may not me true, as far as the cruelty issue. Dont want to ruffle any feathers, haha. Thanks again for all the help! Just trying to help make a bird happy.